Maoists to let families visit captured troops

"The relatives of the soldiers held by the party will be allowed to meet them after acquiring approval from the party leaders," said the faxed statement signed by the western division spokesman Sudarshan.

The statement included the names of the 60 soldiers.

Maoist rebels attacked an army camp in the west on August 7 in the heaviest fighting since King Gyanendra seized power in February.

The army said the rebels had executed 40 captured soldiers and that around 75 soldiers were missing.